Tribute

I hesitate to write about politics, as I like to remain somewhat impartial to those readers who don’t know me personally. However, our family was recently impacted by a politician this week in a way I never thought possible. Jack Layton was the leader of the opposition in Canada, and no matter what your party preference, most Canadians can agree that he was a genuine and sharp politician. Jack was the leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada and while he was not our Prime Minister he helped keep our Prime Minister accountable. It is easy to view politics as exhausting, futile, crooked, and pointless- but for us, Jack Layton made politics personal and refreshing while challenging Canadians to work towards a better country and world. Jack Layton was the only politician that kept our family going back to the polls when election after election was called, exhausting many Canadians by leaving them questioning the value of their vote.

Jack was 61 when he passed away on Monday from an ongoing battle with cancer and we will feel his loss for the months to come. Thank you Jack for renewing our faith in politics and men with moustaches. Thank you for showing us that good can come out of the government and that there are people that genuinely want to see a holistically healthy Country and are willing to work for it. As my husband says, “You were the best Prime Minister we never had,” and I wholeheartedly agree.

I’ll leave you with quote from Jack Layton in his last letter to Canadians and a moustache tribute from our family,

“My friends, love is better than anger.
Hope is better than fear.
Optimism is better than despair.
So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic.
And we’ll change the world.”